


(Cat)ch you later

by yagakat



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M, Satansoo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-29
Updated: 2016-02-29
Packaged: 2018-05-23 20:56:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6129811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yagakat/pseuds/yagakat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Baekhyun buys a cat. It doesn't go well. Originally written for the daelightsavings fic exchange.</p>
            </blockquote>





	(Cat)ch you later

This had been a terrible decision.

And, like all of Baekhyun’s truly terrible decisions, it had come from Joonmyun and Sehun.

His brothers had been the ones to suggest that he get a pet. Having a new addition in his life would bring him out of the boring routine he’d fallen into, where now the most exciting part of his week consisted of watching new episodes of the _Real Housewives of Seoul_ in his underwear.

 

> _sebrat_ : @ least now u can finally get sm pussy
> 
> _brtbaek_ : stfu
> 
> _joonmyunnie_ : Think of the warm, fuzzies you’d feel having a fluffy puppy or kitty greet you when you get home everyday!
> 
> _brtbaek_ : -_-

 

Baekhyun had mocked Joonmyun openly but still found himself inside the pet store a couple weeks later. The shop was small, tucked away about a block from his apartment. When he’d entered, there was only one employee inside — a tall, gangly guy who’d introduced himself as Chanyeol in an obnoxiously deep and booming voice before offering to show Baekhyun around.

They wandered through the aisles, Chanyeol gesturing to different cages and babbling nonstop about the different animals, the different animal products, his work at the store, his _killer_ mixtape, his dream of becoming a rapper…

After about the fifth row of cages, Baekhyun was ready to get the hell out of there.

Joonmyun and Sehun had been wrong, no surprise. Baekhyun couldn’t decide on a pet, and Chanyeol random, obnoxious laughing fits over nothing were starting to grate on his nerves.

But then they’d walked along a row of cages in the back — Chanyeol pointing out each animal in between a monologue about his childhood pet ferret — and a cage on the far right caught Baekhyun’s eye.

A small, plump black tabby lay in the corner, licking its paws lazily.

“What’s this one’s name?” he'd asked, breaking Chanyeol out of his rant.

“That’s Kyungsoo. He’s two years old and one of our newer animals. Just got him a few weeks ago, but he’s already up to date on his paperwork.”

 _Hmm, maybe Sehun and Joonmyun were right after all,_ Baekhyun had thought, peering closer at the adorable, wide-eyed kitty in the cage, watching it roll over on its chubby stomach, feeling happy, warm fuzzies at the sight.

 

A week later the warm fuzzies are gone.

Clawed through and left in unrecognizable, frayed pieces just like Baekhyun’s curtains, couch cushions, and bedspread.

Barely a couple of hours after he made it back to his apartment, having finally managed to escape Chanyeol’s clutches (- _CATch you later!_ - _Yeah, bye._ ), Kyungsoo had thrown a hissing-fit. Scrambling away in the middle of Baekhyun’s attempt to wrangle him into his lap for a celebratory selfie, he’d perched on top of the bookshelf and remained there all evening, ignoring any attempt to coax him down.

From that night on, the cat’s grumpy, stand-offish mood never changed, expect when it veered into violent, which it did whenever Baekhyun tried to approach.

 

Baekhyun really can’t understand why Kyungsoo has decided to hate him. He’s trying to be a good owner and doing a great job, if he does say so himself.

Okay, admittedly, he’d overdone it the first week, with all the poking and cooing and his failed attempts to pinch Kyungsoo’s cheeks.

_Do cats like having their cheeks pinched? Apparently not…_

And yes, he had accidentally stepped on the cat’s tail five times within like a day, and he sees now how trying to put ribbons around Kyungsoo’s ears had been a mistake... _But still!_

Besides Satansoo’s constant grumpiness and tendency to claw up Baekhyun’s face and belongings, the creepiest thing about his new cat is the way it stares sometimes, eyes glaring and unnerving from across the room, sending shivers down Baekhyun’s spine.

 

After a few weeks of claw battles and contemptuous hissing, Baekhyun, understandably, begins to fear for his life.

Amazingly, neither of his brothers is helpful in any way whatsoever.

 

> _brtbaek_ : i am nOT going near him
> 
> _brtbaek_ : he’s been on top of the bookshelf for three days
> 
> _brtbaek_ : he’s plotting my murder i swear!!!
> 
> _joonmyunnie_ : Aww, don’t be such a scaredy-cat :)
> 
> _brtbaek_ : ಠ_ಠ
> 
> _brathun_ : lol good one hyung. don’t be such a sourpussy.
> 
> _brtbaek_ : istg
> 
>  

Several more weeks and too many unsolicited cat puns later, Baekhyn’s desperation brings him back to the pet store, and he’s frantically craning his neck over the shelves in search of an employee when he hears a _Can I help you?_ from behind him.

The first thing Baekhyun’s mind registers when he turns around is that the man standing in front of him is insanely attractive. He’s slightly taller than Baekhyun with pretty eyes, a messy mop of curly hair, and sharp cheekbones. The short-sleeved shirt he wears under his apron shows off the most drool-worthy biceps Baekhyun’s ever seen.

He doesn’t answer right away, having forgotten the man’s question as his brain attempts to grapple with so. much. hotness.

The man clears his throat, looking amused as he introduces himself.

“I’m Jongdae, I own this shop. Is there something I can help you with?”

“My cat is trying to kill me,” Baekhyun blurts, mouth to brain filter malfunctioning.

His outburst startles a laugh out of Jongdae.

“I’m sorry?”

Baekhyun forces himself to look away from a thorough examination of Jongdae’s shapely thighs and elaborate.

“Well, have you ever considered it’s not the cat? Maybe it’s just you?’ Jongdae suggests when Baekhyun’s finished, tone teasing and eyes all bright and sparkly.

Baekhyun bristles angrily. _Watch it, hottie. I’ll sic Kyungsoo on you._

“No it’s not just me. He’s evil, and he hates everyone. He even scratched my brother,” he retorts, biting back the urge to stick his tongue out childishly.

Jongdae just laughs again, and Baekhyun’s finds he’s too distracted by the pretty sound and the way the corners of Jongdae’s mouth curl like a kitty’s to hold on to his irritation. In fact, he’s so enraptured by the feline store owner, he spends the next half hour following him around, telling him Kyungsoo horror stories and sneaking glances at his perky butt as he bends down to restock various shelves.

Jongdae doesn’t seem to mind his presence, making small talk and gently poking fun at Baekhyun whenever he can, offering some general advice on cat care. Baekhyun finds that Jongdae is surprisingly easy to talk to, and he learns a lot about the other man that night — like the fact that he’s younger by a couple months.

“Call me Baekhyun-hyung.”

“Ha, ha. No.”

And that he’d inherited the shop from his father, who’d passed away a couple of years ago.

“He was a great guy, really loved this place. I’m glad I can keep it going for him.”

“My parents are gone too. It’s been a while, and it’s still really hard sometimes. But at least I have Joonmyun-hyung and Sehunnie.”

 

After that first evening, Baekhyun can’t get the cute, sweet store owner out of his mind. He makes a point of stopping by the shop regularly on his way home from work, having asked Chanyeol for Jongdae’s schedule. (- _Sure, don’t mew-tion it!_ - _I said BYE._ )

He plants himself right next to the register, watching Jongdae talk to customers, taking every free moment to draw the store owner’s attention away under the guise of getting more Kyungsoo advice. Jongdae sees right through him and still indulges him, patting him on the shoulder and teasing more than sympathizing.

But the fun at Baekhyun’s expense doesn’t really sting, not when it comes with Jongdae’s pretty smiles and mischievous eyes. Besides, Jongdae’s jokes always make Baekhyun laugh in spite of himself.

The more time he spends with Jongdae, the more his attraction and infatuation grow until they transform and he can’t recognize them anymore.

 

The night he realizes he might be in love, he comes home to find his prized Taeyeon poster in shreds on his bedroom floor and nearly has a hysterical breakdown.

 _Oh, this is personal,_ he thinks as he gingerly picks the shredded remains off his floor. _THIS MEANS WAR._

“He wants me to suffer. I mean, out of all of them, why this one, huh? Why Taeyeon??” he sobs, standing in front of Jongdae’s counter twenty minutes later.

The younger man doesn’t offer an explanation, just brings a shaking hand up to his mouth, trying to hide his laughter and doing a terrible job.

“Taeyeon nOONA!” Baekhyun wails, distraught, staring down at the shreds in his hands.

Jongdae can’t hold it in this time, ugly, unrestrained peals of laughter bursting out of him, and Baekhyun feels his heart squeeze despite his traumatic state.

“Can I live in your store?” he sighs, dropping his head on the desk. “I’ll let him have my apartment.”

Jongdae chuckles softly, leaning over to card his fingers through Baekhyun’s hair soothingly. The sensation sends a warm tingling from Baekhyun's scalp all the way through his chest, and he goes still, afraid if he moves, Jongdae will stop.

“There, there. Poor baby,” Jongdae murmurs softly, and Baekhyun can hear amusement and affection in his tone.

Abruptly, the petting stops, and he feels a warm, soft press against the top of his head. When he picks his head up, Jongdae’s pulled back, not looking at him, resolutely focused on tinkering with something near the register. He looks frazzled, cheeks flushed a deep pink. He's biting his lower lip, and Baekhyun can see his fingers shake with nerves as he fumbles clumsily with the buttons on the register.

It’s Baekhyun’s turn to chuckle as he reaches over, grabbing Jongdae’s hand.

“You’re the worst,” he whines exaggeratedly, pulling the younger man’s hand back to his hair and dropping his head back on the counter. “I’m in pain. _Comforttt meee!_ ”

He hears Jongdae huff out a laugh as he goes back to scratching lightly at Baekhyun’s scalp, and the awkward tension between them evaporates.

The moment, the sweet sight of Jongdae so nervous force Baekhyun to admit feelings he’d been trying to ignore, and he can’t help but be extra touchy, clinging to Jongdae for the rest of the night. He revels in the fact that Jongdae never pulls away.

 

A couple of weeks later, he gathers the courage to ask Jongdae over, under the perfectly legit pretense of seeing Satansoo for himself.

“Wait!” Jongdae gasps as they cross the threshold into Baekhyun’s apartment.

Baekhyun freezes in place, immediately on high alert. _Has he spotted the cat already? Is Kyungsoo going to attack? WhHYY hadn’t they thought to bring something to defend themselves_ —

His thoughts short-circuit and stop when Jongdae latches on to his arm as they’re crossing the threshold, leaning into his side with a dramatic gasp.

“I’m scared. Protect me, Baekhyun!” he mocks in a high pitched voice. “Don’t let Kyungsoo eat me!”

“No one’s going to eat you,” Baekhyun grumbles, once he’s recovered, unsuccessfully trying to ignore his heartbeat picking up at the feel of Jongdae’s warm and toned body so close, pressed up against him.

“ _No one?_ That’s a shame,” Jongdae drawls, smile sly.

“This is serious,” Baekhyun admonishes grumpily, face beetroot red and skin on fire.

Jongdae laughs at him, toeing off his shoes and following Baekhyun into the living room. Kyungsoo’s nowhere in sight and doesn’t turn up even after Baekhyun gives Jongdae a tour of his place, the younger man peering around the rooms with polite, curious eyes and taking every opportunity to snark at Baekhyun for his extensive collection of Girls Generation merchandise.

Baekhyun’s pulling a couple of beers out of the fridge, lamenting the limited food options he can offer Jongdae, when he hears a gentle gasp from the living room.

“Well, _hello_ _there_.”

“Hey, I think I found Satan!” he hears Jongdae call out a moment later.

He drops the beers on the counter with a clang and races into the living room, preparing to rescue Jongdae from the cat’s clutches.

And he’s stopped dead in his tracks by the sight of Kyungsoo — not reeking havoc, not attempting to kill everything in sight with his glare — but sprawled on Jongdae’s lap, head pushed into his hand. Jongdae’s rubbing behind Kyungsoo’s ear and cooing softly.

He looks over to where Baekhyun is standing, struck dumb and gapping, and flashes him a grin.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. This little guy seems so sweet. Aren’t you, Kyungie?” he clucks at Kyungsoo, moving his hand across the kitty’s back in light strokes.

“It’s definitely just you.”

Baekhyun ignores the jab, still too stunned to say anything. He’s never seen his cat act like this. His eyes travel to Kyungsoo, and the cat stares back, blissed-out expression turning smug, like he’s taunting Baekhyun.

_Betrayal._

“This is unbelievable!!” Baekhyun huffs indignantly. “I’m the one that feeds him! That changes his litter box! That buys him toys!”

He plops himself on the opposite side of the sofa, put out. Jongdae giggles at his outburst, pulling Kyungsoo closer and pressing his face into the cat’s fur.

The sight is so adorable, Baekhyun’s moodiness deflates as quickly as it'd come, and he’s pacified enough to agree to watch the season finale of the _Real Housewives of Seoul_.

Halfway through, it’s already gotten late. He glances over at Jongdae, hopefully to convince him to crash here tonight, but immediately regrets it.

Both the man and the cat are asleep, Kyungsoo still on Jongdae’s lap. Watching Jongdae sleep, the urge to kiss that pretty mouth, which has been near-constant for months, suddenly feels overwhelming.

When he makes it about halfway forward, Jongdae opens his eyes sleepily, taking in Baekhyun’s position and giving him a knowing grin. Baekhyun’s about to retreat, embarrassed, when he’s pulled the rest of the distance, mouth landing on Jongdae’s. Their first kiss is warm and wet, and Jongdae tilts his head to deepen it, keeping Baekhyun in place and stealing multiple kisses.

When they finally pull apart with a soft noise, panting lightly, Baekhyun accidentally elbows a sleeping Kyungsoo upside the head. And he almost doesn’t notice what he’s done, staring dopey-eyed at Jongdae, warm, fuzzy feelings engulfing him.

 

Until Kyungsoo brings him back by launching himself and his claws clear at Baekhyun’s face.


End file.
